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Sept. 24, 1929. w. lsLER LATCH FOR LocKERs Filed March 5, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 2.-

W. ISLER Sept. 24, 1929.

LATCH FOR LOCKERS Filed March 6, 1928 3 Sheets--Sheel Patented Sept. 24,1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM ISLER, OF CANTON, OHIO,ASSIGNOR TO THE BERGER MAN'UFAGTURING COMPANY, OF CANTON, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF OHTO LATCH FOR LOCKERS Application filed March 6, 1928.

This invention has for its object the provision of a latching mechanismfor a locker or other enclosure, which will be simple in operation,sturdy in construction, permit of assembly, and present withal a neatand attractive appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locker door having atubular formation at the edge there-of, which formation 1o functions notonly to reinforce the locker door, but at the same time serves as abearing or supporting surface for slidably supporting a latching bar,and also serves to conceal the connection between the latching bar andthe door handle which is adapted to be directly connected thereto.

In copending application of Joseph Sturm and lVilliam L. Caldwell,Serial No. 115,538, there is described a latching mechanism for a lockerin which a latching bar is enclosed in a tubular housing orreinforcement at the edge of the door, the bar being positively forcedinto latching position by means of an especially designed hook or keeperwhich enters the housing and engages slots in the latching bar. Inassembling the aforesaid latching mechanism, it is necessary to insertthe latching bar into one end of the housing an d to push the bar upinto the housing to a position in which it may be engaged by the tenonsof an especially designed handle.

In accordance with the present invention, the positioning or assemblingof the latching bar and handle is considerably facilitated by virtue ofthe fact that the latching bar is placed on the exterior of the tubularhousing or reinforcement in a natural and simple manner, the bar beingdesigned to be positively moved into latching position in the samemanner as the latching bar described in the aforesaid application ofSturm and Caldwell.

These and other objects of the invention will become more readilyapparent in the course of the following description of one embodiment ofthe invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein Fig. l is a front elevation of a locker in which is embodied thenovel features of the present invention;

Serial No. 259,497.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section 'through the tubular housing and the latchingbar, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig'. 3; i

F 8 is a cross-section through the door and adjacent portions of thelocker, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4L is an exploded view of a portion of the tubular housing,latching bar, and keeper;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the handle, a portion of the tubularhousing, and latching har, showing the manner in which the handle isadapted to be connected to the latching bar; i

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the upper end of the tubular housing, showingthe manner in which the latching bar is positioned on the housing;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. .8 is a cross-section taken on the line 8*8 of Fig. G;

Fig. 9 is a cross-section taken on the line 5)-9 of Fig. 2; showing themanner in which the handle is secured to the latching bar;

Fig. 10 is an exploded view of a portion of the tubular housing, thelatching bar, and the rivet for securing the bar on the housing;

Fig. l1 is a cross-section through a `modified form of the housing andlatching bar.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the locker comprises asheet-metal body l, and a door Q hinged thereon. The door 2 is formed atone of its side edges with a tubular reinforcement or housing 3, closedat the top by a flange 4, and open at the bott-om to facilitate removalof the mandrel used in forming the housing.

Disposed at vertically spaced intervals, preferably near the top,bottom, and middle of the housing 3, are slots 5 which serve to receivekeepers 6 mounted on the locker body l, when the door 2 is closed. Thekeepers 6 are formed with an upwardly sloping edge 7, a downwardlysloping edge 8 approximately twice as long as the upwardly sloping edge,and a seat 9. Keyhole slots 10 enlarged at one end as at 1l are formedin the rear face of the housing 3, one of these slots being' positionedabove the uppermost slot 5, and the other a short distance below thelowerniost slot 5.

The front 'face of the tubular housing` has formed therein, slot-s 12which serve to re* ceive tenons 13 of a handle lll.

The lat/chingt bar 15, preferably made in the form of a channel forstrength, has secured thereto near each end, a rivet 16 having' ashoulder 17 and an enlarged head 18. Secured at or near Vthe middleportion or" the web oil" the bar, as by spot welding, are clips 19having` legs 2O and 21, provided with apertures 22, the apertures inlegs 21 being` threaded. rEhe latchingr bar has termed therein atvertically spaced intervals, slots 23 terminating in upper enges 24; andlower edges 25, which are spaced to coincide with the slots 5, and whichserve a purpose to be presently described.

The latching bar 15 and handle lll are assembled on the lune-.sing` inthe :followingl manner:

The web of the latening` bar is placed adjacent the rear iface of thehousing;` 3 in such a manner that the enlarged heads 18 of the rivets 16pass through the enlarged ends 11 of the keyhole slotsv 10. Zhe bar isthen moved upwardly until the legs 2O and 21 of the clips 19 areopposite the slots 12 in the front face of the housing. rllhe upwardmovement o'l the bar causes the shoulders 17 Ot the rivets 16 to ride upinto the keyhole slots 10, and the enlarged heads 18 01' the rivetsprevent the bar from being,l subsequently pulled away from the housing.The handle 14 is then placed on the door in such a manner that thetenons 19 enter the slots 12 in the front tace of the housing' 3 and liealongside the legs 20 and 21 olf the clips 19, as clearly shown in`Figs. 2 and 9. Adjacent the slots 12, a portion ot the rear and inwardlydirected lateral wall of the hcusinoj 3, and a Correspending` portion ofone orf the flanges oi the latchingv bar 15 are notched out tofacilitate the positioning` of the latch bar, and to permit theinsertion or screws 26 havin@ threaded ends 27 Ytor the auriose ofsecuring' the handle to the latching bar.

lt will be apparent from a consideration of 2 and l, that when the dooris closed, the upper ed 24 ot the slots 23 .in the latching bar willride up over the upwardly sloping edges 7 of the keepers 6, until theuppermost point olf these edges is reached. lower edges 25 olf the slotswill then begin to contact with the downwardly sloping` edges 8 ot thekeepers, and the edges 2d of the slots will he positively forced to movedown into the seats 9. ln this manner, the locker door is effectivelyshut or latched, regardless el how great a torce is used to effectclosing.

ln Fig'. 11, a modified torni of the housing and latchingr bar areshown. The housing 3 has vertically extending,` grooves 28 in thelateral walls thereeili, and the latching` bar 15 has inwardly directedflanges 29 which lit The I into these grooves. This forni of theinvention does away with the necessity of providing` a bayonetconnection of the latchingr bar to the housing, as shown in Figs. 6, 7and 8.

Claim:

The combination with a locker door havingwiLLLlM" isnnn.

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